Ronald A. Franz was a good friend of Chris when he was in the Salton City area. It started when Franz picked Chris up when he was going back to his "home" past Oh-My-God Hot Springs. Franz was around 81 when he was with Chris. Franz is a devout Christian who was in the war and his wife and child were killed by a drunk driver. For around six months Franz was an alcoholic, but then quit drinking still not getting over the loss though. He eventually unofficially adopted 14 Okinawan boys and girls. When he met Chris, Franz couldn't get enough of him. Franz really like Chris and thought he was too smart to be in the place he was living. For a while Chris and Franz became good friends and Franz taught Chris how to leather work. Chris eventually told Franz he is going to San Diego to raise money for the Alaska trip, and then left still sending post cards every once in a while. Chris couldn't find work in San Diego and Franz came and picked him up and Alex stayed for a little longer.
Wayne Westerberg let Chris work with him and live with him for a long while. He really liked Chris also because he was a very good and determined worker that would do just about any job that Wayne asked.
Gail Borah was a petite, sad-eyed women with long blond hair. She was 35 years old and a divorced mother of two teenage children. Chris talked to her about serious things and she could tell something was wrong with his family relationship. She is Waynes on again, off again girlfriend.
Nick Jans criticized Chris about how there were many people out there like him and how he was hardly unique. He really doesn't seem like he likes the McCandless type and has no sympathy for him.
Gene Rosellini was the Mayor of Hippie Cove. He was brought up rich and his cousin was the governor of Washington State. Like Chirs he was very fit and smart. Rosellini had a 4.0 GPA and was an expert at martial arts. Just like Chris again he went to and passed college and never got his degree because he didn't want to. Explored in Cordova, Alaska and devoted his life to an ambitious anthropological experiment. Used no technology at all, for example he cut through logs with a stone. Gave up and decided to walk around the world. Found with a knife through his heart, people don't know if it was suicide or not.
Debra McKinney: Anchorage Daily News reporter who interviewed Rosellini.
John Mallon Waterman was born and raised like Chris. Very good rock climber learned when he was little. His parents got a divorce and the dad basically abandoned the sons. Waterman was famous for his mountain climbs. Died from climbing through glaciers.
Carl McCunn worked on the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline construction project. Dropped off into Alaska to take pictures, and only had a .22 and .30 caliber guns. Like Chris kind of McCunn through a bunch of shotgun shells in the lake. He got very bad frostbite because nobody picked him up. Ended up shooting himself in the head.
Everett Ruess was most like Chris. He was born in Oakland, CA and started his adventures when he was 20 years old in 1934. He has a messed up family like Chris and had the same goals as Chris basically. Ruess wrote letters all the time like Chris and was smart like him unlike the others.
Wayne Westerberg let Chris work with him and live with him for a long while. He really liked Chris also because he was a very good and determined worker that would do just about any job that Wayne asked.
Gail Borah was a petite, sad-eyed women with long blond hair. She was 35 years old and a divorced mother of two teenage children. Chris talked to her about serious things and she could tell something was wrong with his family relationship. She is Waynes on again, off again girlfriend.
Nick Jans criticized Chris about how there were many people out there like him and how he was hardly unique. He really doesn't seem like he likes the McCandless type and has no sympathy for him.
Gene Rosellini was the Mayor of Hippie Cove. He was brought up rich and his cousin was the governor of Washington State. Like Chirs he was very fit and smart. Rosellini had a 4.0 GPA and was an expert at martial arts. Just like Chris again he went to and passed college and never got his degree because he didn't want to. Explored in Cordova, Alaska and devoted his life to an ambitious anthropological experiment. Used no technology at all, for example he cut through logs with a stone. Gave up and decided to walk around the world. Found with a knife through his heart, people don't know if it was suicide or not.
Debra McKinney: Anchorage Daily News reporter who interviewed Rosellini.
John Mallon Waterman was born and raised like Chris. Very good rock climber learned when he was little. His parents got a divorce and the dad basically abandoned the sons. Waterman was famous for his mountain climbs. Died from climbing through glaciers.
Carl McCunn worked on the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline construction project. Dropped off into Alaska to take pictures, and only had a .22 and .30 caliber guns. Like Chris kind of McCunn through a bunch of shotgun shells in the lake. He got very bad frostbite because nobody picked him up. Ended up shooting himself in the head.
Everett Ruess was most like Chris. He was born in Oakland, CA and started his adventures when he was 20 years old in 1934. He has a messed up family like Chris and had the same goals as Chris basically. Ruess wrote letters all the time like Chris and was smart like him unlike the others.